Charge transfer at biotic/abiotic interfaces in biological electrocatalysis

In this opinion paper, we discuss the charge transfer at biotic/abiotic interfaces in man-made and biological electrochemical systems. Specifically, we will first introduce the heterogeneous charge transfer at the bioelectrode interface, followed by the intramolecular change transfer in peptide and protein structures, and finally discuss the extracellular charge transfer in electrogenic microorganisms. In addition to discussion of charge transfer mechanisms and synthetic structures/scaffolds required for it, a particular focus will be given to novel experimental designs that are able to bring new concepts and boost mechanism understanding and applications development. There are also discussions on the combination of modern computational techniques and experimental characterizations.